The Long Journey

Being involved with children makes all the difference

Published: Sunday, October 14, 2001

MARGE HOPPERSuccess By 6

''Congratulations! Your baby's just been born.'' These words signal a cry of joy for waiting parents, extended family, and friends. They also signal a cry of help for a new life - ''what developmental steps await me? Will there be someone to help me along the way?'' Success By 6 is an effort in the Lubbock community to help provide this safety net for each child's success in his/her own unique way. We want success, yet caring must begin with a basic blueprint of expectations for the normal changes that occur over time. Let us then set out to understand some of the major developmental milestones in this new life journey. First, there are some principles of growth to remember as our road map icons:

Marge Hopper is director of Covenant Hospital Child Care Center. She has a BS in Child Development from Texas Tech University and an MS in Child Development from Iowa State University. Her work experience includes Parent Consultant for LISD's Developmental Education Birth through 2 (and early intervention program), Instructor at Texas Tech University, Iowa State University, Ohio State University, and South Plains College (teaching Child Development/Family Relations courses), Head Start Consultant, Consultant for the South Plains Child Care Management Services, and Teacher of Infants through Pre-Kindergarten Age in university, private, church-based, parent-cooperative, and family day home situations.

She has been active in the Texas and South Plains Association for the Education of Young Children, Child Advocacy, Research, and Education Board, the South Plains Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse, Child Advocacy Center Board, Campfire Board, Caring for Kids Coalition, Shots Across Texas Board, and South Plains Child Development Advisory Board.

She currently serves as a Validator for the Academy of Early Childhood Programs, CDA Representative for the Council for Professional Recognition, Treasurer for the Young at Heart Board, Chairof the Shapes Head Start Education Advisory Board, and Co-Chair for the Childcare Committee for Success by 6.

She and her husband, Norman Hopper, Associate Dean and Professor in the College of Agriculture at Texas Tech University, have two sons, Brandon and Travis, who are both Tech graduates, and a daughter, Tylene, who is scheduled to graduate from Tech in December.

Each child is different in personality and response.

Each child grows at a different rate. Some skills come faster than average and others slower than average.

Development proceeds from the general to the specific. Thus, there are big, awkward movements using many muscles before refined motions using only the fingers. Also, there are general concepts before specific ones. (''Dog'' comes before ''Poodle'' and ''Dalmatian.'')

At birth, a baby's brain has 100 billion nerve cells ready to learn all about the world.

Infants

Most 0-3-Month-Olds:

follow a moving object with their eyes and lift their heads

pay attention to a person's face and respond to a human voice

Most 3-6-Month-Olds:

grasp and hold objects, then mouth them

make long ''speeches'' when looking at interesting things

Most 6-9-Month-Olds:

sit without support

may become fearful of new people

Most 9-12- Month-Olds:

crawl and stand with support

ask for things by pointing and reaching

Help Along the Way

Pick up when baby cries and cuddle, sing, and speak often.

Give a variety of stuffed animals, rings, rattles, & blocks

Imitate baby's sounds and read to him every day

Play rhyming games like ''This Little Piggy'' and say ''Mama'' and ''Dada.''

Play with toys and describe what baby is doing.

From the minute a baby's born, her brain is shaped by her experiences let them be positive ones.

Toddlers

Most 1-Year-Olds:

Identify body parts and imitate adult behaviors

Begin to use 2-5 word sentences and comprehend simple directions

Scribble, eat with a spoon, and turn pages

Climb, run, and move to music

Most 2-Year-Olds:

Become possessive and unwilling to share

Group objects by size, color, shape

Name objects and remember simple song lyrics

Begin to snip with scissors, turn door handles, and pull down pants at toilet, though not able to ''re-dress''

Help Along the Way

Use words like up/down, in/out, over/under and continue to read, pointing to pictures and describing events.

Make obstacle courses, using boxes, tires, pillows, wastebaskets, chairs on their sides.

Let your child help you plan activities and make lists for groceries, errands, etc.

Build a relationship with a child that will last a lifetime, for she will judge herself by the way you treat her.

School age

Most 6-8-Year-Olds:

Are interested in rules and rituals

Want to play with same-sex friends and may have a best friend and an enemy

Enjoy testing their muscle strength and skills

Enjoy creating elaborate collections

Most 9-11-Year-Olds

Enjoy being a member of a club and are interested in competitive sports

Have improved coordination and reaction time

Are capable of understanding concepts without having direct hands-on experience

Are interested in discussing a future career

Help Along the Way

Help develop an understanding of rules by playing table games like cards and dominoes.

Provide opportunities to build models, cook, make crafts, practice music, or work with wood.

Take field trips to museums, work places, and other neighborhoods.

Encourage participation in organized clubs or youth groups.

Provide plenty of food, visiting of friends, and down time.

The journey is not over, but the many steps taken thus far by a child have built a foundation for either failure or success. Success By 6 wants Lubbock to be a safe, responsive, and culturally sensitive community as each child comes through its educational systems. The child may start his developmental journey with one or two parents, but each of us in our own capacity extended family, friend, business leader, Sunday school teacher, or early childhood provider must take responsibility to nurture and support the child. We care about the whole child in his/her mental, physical, emotional, and social development.

Be kind and gentle with him and he'll learn he is a valuable person. Laugh with him and he'll learn his world is a good and happy place. Encourage and applaud his accomplishments and he'll learn he is smart. Take good care of him and he'll learn to trust others. And always love him!